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Papers by James Barufaldi

Research paper thumbnail of Experiences and Science Concepts During Classroom Teaching

Research paper thumbnail of Mining

The object of this investigation is to report a study of mathematics teacher retention in the Tex... more The object of this investigation is to report a study of mathematics teacher retention in the Texas Education System by generating a model that allows the identification of crucial factors that are associated with teacher retention in their profession. This study answers the research question: given a new mathematics teacher with little or no service in the Texas Education System, how long might one expect her to remain in the system? The basic categories, used in this study to describe teacher retention are: long term (10 and more years of service), medium term (5 to 9 years of service), and short term (1 to 4 years of service). The research question is addressed by generating a model through data mining techniques and using teacher data and variables from the Texas Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) that allows a descriptive identification of those factors that are crucial in teacher retention. Research on mathematics teacher turnover in Texas has vii not yet focused on teacher characteristics. The literature review presented in this investigation shows that teacher characteristics are important in studying factors that may influence teachers' decisions to stay or to leave the system. This study presents the field of education, and the state of Texas, with an opportunity to isolate those crucial factors that keep mathematics teachers from leaving the teaching profession, which has the potential to inform policy makers and other educators when making decisions that could have an impact on teacher retention. Also, the methodology applied, data mining, allows this study to take full advantage of a collection of valuable resources provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), which has not yet been used to study the phenomenon of teacher retention. viii

Research paper thumbnail of Education: Integrating Informal Learning Experiences into the School Curriculum

Research paper thumbnail of Building a Successful Collaborative for Professional Development: Lessons Learned and Recommendations. Texas Regional Collaborative for Excellence in Science Teaching. Dwight D. Eisenhower Science Professional Development

For genuine and long-lasting improvement in science education to occur, teachers must be given th... more For genuine and long-lasting improvement in science education to occur, teachers must be given the necessary and relevant professional development and resources needed. This paper discusses the shortcomings of traditional science inservice programs that do not provide the professional development needed by today's science teachers and argues that radical revisions of long-held views of science inservice training and teacher preparation are needed if schools are to turn the tide of ignorance and illiteracy that all too frequently characterizes U.S. students' performance on national and international standardized achievement tests. Topics discussed

Research paper thumbnail of Moving Towards an Exemplary Professional Development Program for Teachers

Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, May 1, 1997

The American Astronomical Society Teacher Resource Agent Program provided 215 teachers with a fou... more The American Astronomical Society Teacher Resource Agent Program provided 215 teachers with a four-week summer institute as their initial preparation as agents. Contact with the agents, including their attendance at an AAS meeting, is maintained following this initial participation. The formative evaluation of the program illuminates the challenges and opportunities presented in dealing with a diverse group of teachers. Changes to the original program structure due to various evaluation elements and the need to integrate the new National Science Education Standards will be addressed. AASTRA is supported by NSF under grant ESI 93-53377 and the AAS. Additional support is provided by Loyola University of Chicago, Northern Arizona University of Flagstaff, University of Maryland at College Park, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Research paper thumbnail of Investigating Saudi Arabian High School Science Teachers Perceived Challenges and Concerns Related to the Integration of Science Content Technology Engineering and Mathematics Stem Into Science Teaching

First of all, I want to thank God for giving me the strength, knowledge, and opportunity to condu... more First of all, I want to thank God for giving me the strength, knowledge, and opportunity to conduct this research, and to persevere and complete it satisfactorily. Without His blessing and support, this research would not have been possible. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my adviser Dr. Catherine Riegle-Crumb for her support and advice throughout this project, and to my co-advisor Dr. James Barufaldi who has provided incredible support and guidance. Dr. Barufaldi has given me invaluable guidance, suggestions, and inspiration in my journey toward my degree. More than a co-advisor, Dr. Barufaldi has been a supporter who gave me the opportunity to express my ideas and listened to my concerns beyond this research. To my doctoral committee, Dr. Marshall, for her inspiring comments; Dr. Borrego, for her ideas related to the integration of engineering into science teaching; and Dr. Sampson, for his willingness to be part of the committee-to all of you, thank you for your support, patience, and help in conducting this research.

Research paper thumbnail of What If

The American Biology Teacher, 1972

2. How could one adequately determine which pigments dissolve in methanol? 3. Using different lab... more 2. How could one adequately determine which pigments dissolve in methanol? 3. Using different laboratory groups, determine the pigment compositions of as many different leaves and plant foods as possible. 4. It is possible to obtain commercially ,-carotene and other plant pigments. Dissolving these in benzene and chromatographing as above would provide interesting qualitative and quantitative comparisons.

Research paper thumbnail of A Fun Day with Science and SECS

School Science and Mathematics, 1978

Research paper thumbnail of Inquiry Teaching and Its Effects on Secondary-School Students' Learning of Earth Science Concepts

Journal of Geoscience Education, 1998

Research paper thumbnail of Profile of AASTRA

Research paper thumbnail of Moving Towards an Exemplary Professional Development Program for Teachers

Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, May 1, 1997

The American Astronomical Society Teacher Resource Agent Program provided 215 teachers with a fou... more The American Astronomical Society Teacher Resource Agent Program provided 215 teachers with a four-week summer institute as their initial preparation as agents. Contact with the agents, including their attendance at an AAS meeting, is maintained following this initial participation. The formative evaluation of the program illuminates the challenges and opportunities presented in dealing with a diverse group of teachers. Changes to the original program structure due to various evaluation elements and the need to integrate the new National Science Education Standards will be addressed. AASTRA is supported by NSF under grant ESI 93-53377 and the AAS. Additional support is provided by Loyola University of Chicago, Northern Arizona University of Flagstaff, University of Maryland at College Park, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Research paper thumbnail of Experiences and Science Concepts During Classroom Teaching

Research paper thumbnail of Mining

The object of this investigation is to report a study of mathematics teacher retention in the Tex... more The object of this investigation is to report a study of mathematics teacher retention in the Texas Education System by generating a model that allows the identification of crucial factors that are associated with teacher retention in their profession. This study answers the research question: given a new mathematics teacher with little or no service in the Texas Education System, how long might one expect her to remain in the system? The basic categories, used in this study to describe teacher retention are: long term (10 and more years of service), medium term (5 to 9 years of service), and short term (1 to 4 years of service). The research question is addressed by generating a model through data mining techniques and using teacher data and variables from the Texas Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) that allows a descriptive identification of those factors that are crucial in teacher retention. Research on mathematics teacher turnover in Texas has vii not yet focused on teacher characteristics. The literature review presented in this investigation shows that teacher characteristics are important in studying factors that may influence teachers' decisions to stay or to leave the system. This study presents the field of education, and the state of Texas, with an opportunity to isolate those crucial factors that keep mathematics teachers from leaving the teaching profession, which has the potential to inform policy makers and other educators when making decisions that could have an impact on teacher retention. Also, the methodology applied, data mining, allows this study to take full advantage of a collection of valuable resources provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), which has not yet been used to study the phenomenon of teacher retention. viii

Research paper thumbnail of Education: Integrating Informal Learning Experiences into the School Curriculum

Research paper thumbnail of Building a Successful Collaborative for Professional Development: Lessons Learned and Recommendations. Texas Regional Collaborative for Excellence in Science Teaching. Dwight D. Eisenhower Science Professional Development

For genuine and long-lasting improvement in science education to occur, teachers must be given th... more For genuine and long-lasting improvement in science education to occur, teachers must be given the necessary and relevant professional development and resources needed. This paper discusses the shortcomings of traditional science inservice programs that do not provide the professional development needed by today's science teachers and argues that radical revisions of long-held views of science inservice training and teacher preparation are needed if schools are to turn the tide of ignorance and illiteracy that all too frequently characterizes U.S. students' performance on national and international standardized achievement tests. Topics discussed

Research paper thumbnail of Moving Towards an Exemplary Professional Development Program for Teachers

Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, May 1, 1997

The American Astronomical Society Teacher Resource Agent Program provided 215 teachers with a fou... more The American Astronomical Society Teacher Resource Agent Program provided 215 teachers with a four-week summer institute as their initial preparation as agents. Contact with the agents, including their attendance at an AAS meeting, is maintained following this initial participation. The formative evaluation of the program illuminates the challenges and opportunities presented in dealing with a diverse group of teachers. Changes to the original program structure due to various evaluation elements and the need to integrate the new National Science Education Standards will be addressed. AASTRA is supported by NSF under grant ESI 93-53377 and the AAS. Additional support is provided by Loyola University of Chicago, Northern Arizona University of Flagstaff, University of Maryland at College Park, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Research paper thumbnail of Investigating Saudi Arabian High School Science Teachers Perceived Challenges and Concerns Related to the Integration of Science Content Technology Engineering and Mathematics Stem Into Science Teaching

First of all, I want to thank God for giving me the strength, knowledge, and opportunity to condu... more First of all, I want to thank God for giving me the strength, knowledge, and opportunity to conduct this research, and to persevere and complete it satisfactorily. Without His blessing and support, this research would not have been possible. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my adviser Dr. Catherine Riegle-Crumb for her support and advice throughout this project, and to my co-advisor Dr. James Barufaldi who has provided incredible support and guidance. Dr. Barufaldi has given me invaluable guidance, suggestions, and inspiration in my journey toward my degree. More than a co-advisor, Dr. Barufaldi has been a supporter who gave me the opportunity to express my ideas and listened to my concerns beyond this research. To my doctoral committee, Dr. Marshall, for her inspiring comments; Dr. Borrego, for her ideas related to the integration of engineering into science teaching; and Dr. Sampson, for his willingness to be part of the committee-to all of you, thank you for your support, patience, and help in conducting this research.

Research paper thumbnail of What If

The American Biology Teacher, 1972

2. How could one adequately determine which pigments dissolve in methanol? 3. Using different lab... more 2. How could one adequately determine which pigments dissolve in methanol? 3. Using different laboratory groups, determine the pigment compositions of as many different leaves and plant foods as possible. 4. It is possible to obtain commercially ,-carotene and other plant pigments. Dissolving these in benzene and chromatographing as above would provide interesting qualitative and quantitative comparisons.

Research paper thumbnail of A Fun Day with Science and SECS

School Science and Mathematics, 1978

Research paper thumbnail of Inquiry Teaching and Its Effects on Secondary-School Students' Learning of Earth Science Concepts

Journal of Geoscience Education, 1998

Research paper thumbnail of Profile of AASTRA

Research paper thumbnail of Moving Towards an Exemplary Professional Development Program for Teachers

Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, May 1, 1997

The American Astronomical Society Teacher Resource Agent Program provided 215 teachers with a fou... more The American Astronomical Society Teacher Resource Agent Program provided 215 teachers with a four-week summer institute as their initial preparation as agents. Contact with the agents, including their attendance at an AAS meeting, is maintained following this initial participation. The formative evaluation of the program illuminates the challenges and opportunities presented in dealing with a diverse group of teachers. Changes to the original program structure due to various evaluation elements and the need to integrate the new National Science Education Standards will be addressed. AASTRA is supported by NSF under grant ESI 93-53377 and the AAS. Additional support is provided by Loyola University of Chicago, Northern Arizona University of Flagstaff, University of Maryland at College Park, and the University of Texas at Austin.